Albert Kalonji

Albert Kalonji Ditunga (Albert I)
Mulopwe / God-king / Emperor of the Baluba Head of State of South Kasai (first as President, later as King)
In office 9 August 1960 – 5 October 1962
Preceded by	Edmond Mukanya Mulenda
Succeeded by	position disestablished
Personal details
Born	Albert Kalonji (1929-06-06)6 June 1929 Hemptinne (near Luluabourg), Belgian Congo
Died	20 April 2015(2015-04-20) (aged 85) Mbuji-Mayi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Political party	Mouvement National Congolais-Kalonji (MNC-K)

Albert Kalonji (6 June 1929 – 20 April 2015) was a Congolese politician and businessman from the Luba nobility. He was elected emperor (Mulopwe) of the Baluba and later became king of the Federated State of South Kasai.^[1]

Co-founder, along with Patrice Lumumba, of the Congolese National Movement (MNC), he campaigned with him for the independence of the Congo. Internal disagreements led to the split of the MNC into two branches, known as MNC-Lumumba and MNC-Kalonji. In 1960, Kalonji was elected emperor of the Lubas and head of state of South Kasai by the nobility the ministers and the Kasaian people. Kalonji was crowned by the church and the Luba tribe on 12 April 1961. This de facto independence lasted until September 1962.